The present invention is directed to a bucket for use on a material handling apparatus such as an excavating tractor or backhoe.
Many types of hydraulically-operated tools have been developed for material handling tractors such as backhoes and dipper stick shovels. Buckets are used with a dipper stick shovel for scooping particulate material in a forward direction and with a backhoe for scooping material in a rearward direction. In either case, the bucket is hydraulically actuated from the scooping position to a raised position and then tilted about a horizontal axis for depositing material in the bucket to another location or into the receptacle of a truck. Each type of bucket is designed for specific tasks. The unidirectional function of each bucket renders it awkward for precise manipulation of material. This problem becomes more acute when digging earth which contains relatively large rocks. The leading edge at the opening of the bucket provides a single line of attack. The opposite or closed end of the bucket may sometimes be used like a hammer to loosen a large rock which has proven to be difficult to manipulate by the bucket in a conventional manner. However, any engagement of material by any portion of the bucket except the leading edge of the bucket has very limited functionality since only the leading edge adjacent the opening of the bucket is designed specifically for digging or scooping of material. A different angle of attack for the bucket can be achieved by repositioning the tractor. This is time consuming and obstructions may not permit repositioning of the tractor. For many type of excavating tasks, digging is very often a frustrating and time consuming process. A certain degree of versatility has been achieved by the use of a double ended bucket as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,195,747 of Kashergen. The bucket in this patent has a front opening and a rear opening. A plate is pivotally connected to the upper end of the bucket housing near the front opening of the bucket. The plate is biased towards a stop at the front opening and effectively closes the front opening. This arrangement enables the bucket to be used as a conventional backhoe bucket. The bucket can also be used as a shovel, but in a limited capacity. As earth is scooped into the bucket through the front opening, the plate is pushed toward the rear opening and away from the bottom surface of the bucket. Since material that is scooped into the front opening of the bucket can exit the bucket through the rear opening of the bucket, only a fraction of the capacity of the bucket can be utilized when the bucket is used in the shovel mode. These and other difficulties associated with prior art buckets has been obviated by the present invention.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a bucket for an earth handling apparatus which can be used effectively in a forward shovel mode and in a backward backhoe mode.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a bucket which can be used to dig a trench and deposit bedding stone in a single operation.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a bucket which is substantially more versatile than conventional buckets for handling different tasks and for enabling each task to be handled more efficiently than prior art buckets.
With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.